Both of my kids love to read and I’m often asked how they acquired such an interest and love for reading. We’ve always been a literacy-heavy household since before each was born, even reading to them while in the womb. But, keeping up with that love of reading takes a little more work as they grow older and become independent readers. The summer months can be particularly challenging for many parents, which is why I’m sharing how my second grader read over 75 books this past summer! It was quite an achievement, logging him over 25 hours of reading time during his summer break. With these simple reading tips, you too can foster reading excitement in your kids next summer or all year long!
7 Tips for Encouraging Young Kids to Read Over the Summer and All Year Long!
Schedule Reading Time Every Day
It doesn’t have to be at the same time every day, but setting aside a block of time for your child to read each day (we did M-F only) helps them create a reading routine. The amount of time will depend on your child’s age and how long they can sit to read quietly. You can also vary this time between independent reading and time to read with a sibling or parent, etc. After all, reading is reading and it should all count.
Bring Books in the Car
Much of my son’s summer reading was completed while we were driving to and from places, especially if we had a drive of 30 minutes or longer. If your child does not get carsick from reading in the car, encourage him/her to bring books, magazines, comics, or e-books along for the ride!
Visit the Library Often
We visited our public library almost every week during the summer! From attending organized children’s events to participating in their summer reading program and checking out books to read every week, our weekly trips really encouraged him to continue reading as much as possible.
Take Advantage of E-Books
Everyone isn’t a fan of them and both of my kids prefer printed books, but e-books can definitely come in handy. Both our public library and my son’s elementary school provide free access to e-books, so it’s nice to load a few for easy access on our various mobile devices when running errands, road trips or simply if he forgot to bring a book along! (If you’re an Amazon Prime member, be sure to check out the Amazon Prime Reading program
Sign-Up for Any (and all) Summer Reading Programs
One of the things that definitely encouraged my son to keep up with his summer reading was the various summer reading programs and their incentives. Knowing he had a goal of reading a certain number of hours or certain amount of books (depending on the program) for the summer, helped him break that larger goal down to a daily goal. He loved being able to turn in his completed logs for prizes such as books, baseball game tickets, and even donuts!
Use Reading Logs to Track Progress
To keep up with his daily reading and the amount of books he was reading, we used reading logs to track his progress. You can do this either manually with printed reading logs or use apps to help make the process more convenient. Reading log apps currently installed on my Android phone include Reading Log Cabin and Beanstack.
Choose a Variety of Books
Choosing a wide variety of books and genres is always a good idea so your child doesn’t get bored. Though my kids typically choose their own books, I encourage them to choose more than their current favorite series. I’ll also offer up suggestions as we stroll through the library shelves, which has led to new discoveries. We often leave the library with a good selection of books, including chapter books, picture books, non-fiction, and graphic novels.
Hopefully these simple reading tips will help your kids enjoy reading over the summer and encourage them to keep up with their reading goals all year long. With a little incentive and some dedication, summer reading can be successful and fun!
Do your kids enjoy summer reading?
All photos © Melanie Edwards/modernmami™. Affiliate links used, thanks for your support!
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